Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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November 21, 2009

Haysi seeks help from John I. Burton

By LLOYD COMBS

NORTON, Va. — Few teams have been able to stop J.I. Burton, but the Raiders have stopped themselves a couple of times.

That gives hope to underdog Haysi as the Tigers (5-5) travel to J.I. Burton (8-2) this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Group A, Region D, Division 1 playoff action.

Led by senior speedster Martinez Miles, J.I. Burton is as fast and explosive as always, averaging nearly 30 points per game against a strong schedule. The Raiders defense, meanwhile, has shut out five opponents, while giving up just over six points a game.

Miles is the leader on offense with 1,535 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns for a team blessed with speed across the board.

"Martinez Miles is an awesome running back," Haysi coach James Colley said. "But (Burton is) good all the way around. They have lots of quickness. Their quarterback does a good job.

"Their linebackers, their linemen, are all quick. They get everybody to the ball. They run that 3-5-3 (defense) and they'll bring five linebackers sometimes. They're all coming at you."

Haysi just completed something of an in-season rebuilding job, blending nine new offensive and seven new defensive regulars in with seniors Chris Fleming, Chris Whitt and Jeremy Yates. The Tigers have won five of six games after an 0-4 start, but are considered underdogs against the Raiders, who beat Haysi, 52-17, in last year's playoffs.

J.I. Burton, however, is not unbeatable. In eight wins the Raiders have outscored the opposition by an average of 35-5. In two losses, Burton turned the ball over multiple times, including five lost fumbles and two blocked punts in a 12-6 defeat at the hands of a 5-and-5 Powell Valley club.

"We've got to try and force them into mistakes," Colley said. "We need to avoid making any mistakes and try and force them into making a few."

Haysi also needs to keep making the progress it's made in recent weeks.

"We have to play the way we've played the last four or five games to have a chance," Colley said

Today's winner will face the Clintwood-Thomas Walker winner in the regional finals Nov. 28 at UVa.-Wise.















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